A typical electrical connector assembly includes a pair of electrical connectors which are mateable to interengage conductive terminals on the connectors to establish electrical circuits through the connector interface. Each connector typically includes a dielectric housing within which the terminals are mounted. The connectors are mateable in a given mating direction.
The mating connectors of a connector assembly often have some form of alignment system to facilitate aligning the connectors during mating. An example is in a holding frame or cradle and a portable data entry device. One connector of the connector assembly is mounted on the holding frame or cradle, and the other connector of the assembly is mounted on the portable data entry device. The holding frame has what is called a "docking port" for receiving the portable data entry device. It is desirable to provide some form of alignment system to guide the portable data entry device in the docking port of the holding frame to maintain the electrical connectors in proper alignment during mating. However, the portable data entry device must be able to easily be removed from the docking port of the holding frame, and this creates a dilemma. During mating, users are more careful in attempting to insert the portable data entry device into the docking port, and the alignment system can be fairly rigid for these purposes. On the other hand, users quite rapidly and less carefully pull the portable data entry device out of the docking port and at angles to the given mating direction. Often, the removing or unmating forces are excessive. Repeated cycles of use of the device or a single undue use of excessive forces at angles to the given mating direction often causes damage to the components. The present invention is directed to solving these problems by providing an alignment system in which the connectors can be easily aligned for mating in a given direction but allows for ready removal or unmating of the connectors at an angle to the given mating direction.